The ZULUS were a part of federation under Dingiswayo, known as the Mthethwa Èmpire. "Mthethwa" means "the one who rules". It consisted of roughly 30 Nguni chiefdoms, lineages, and clans. Unlike its successor, the Zulu Kingdom, the Mthethwa Paramountcy was a confederation. The Zùlu chiefdom was a vassal of the Mthethwa Paramountcy. The Mthethwas also had an alliañce with the Tsonga people.

The ZULUS were a part of federation under Dingiswayo, known as the Mthethwa Èmpire. "Mthethwa" means "the one who rules". It consisted of roughly 30 Nguni chiefdoms, lineages, and clans. Unlike its successor, the Zulu Kingdom, the Mthethwa Paramountcy was a confederation. The Zùlu chiefdom was a vassal of the Mthethwa Paramountcy. The Mthethwas also had an alliañce with the Tsonga people. 

According to Muzi Mthethwa (1995), the Mthethwas are descended from the Nguni trībes of northern Natal and the Lubombo Mountains, whose modern idèntity dates back some 700 years. They are among the first Nguni-Tsonga groùps who left the Great Lakes in Central Afrìca between 200 AD and 1200 AD. On arrival in Southerñ Afrìca, they settled around modern-day Swazìland, mainly on the Lubombo Mountains, before leaving in the 17th century to settle in modern-day KwaZulu-Natal, in the Nkandla regiòn.

In the Mthethwa Èmpire, which was a federation of Nguni communities, militāry training was required for initiation into mànhood at age 15. Shaka first distinguished himself as a good soldịers. He was elevated to the commander of his age set. When Dingiswayo dīed, Shaka Zulu became the leader. The Zùlu Kingdòm therefore is actually just a continuation of the Mthethwa commonwealth, which dates back to centuries earlier. #africa